Poll gives Davis wider lead in California

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Campaign news from around the country, compiled by CNN Political Unit staff.

A new poll finds California Gov. Gray Davis has expanded his lead over Republican challenger Bill Simon. The Democratic governor has an eleven-point advantage over Simon, 41 percent to 30 percent, in the new survey by the Public Policy Institute of California. Back in March, Davis lead Simon by four percentage points. However, both candidates should beware: Fifty-four percent of those surveyed said they weren't satisfied with either candidate.

Bill McBride

Is Democrat Bill McBride Gov. Jeb Bush's biggest fear in the Florida gubernatorial race? Perhaps. Republican strategists advising Bush are preparing to run against McBride this fall, according to a recent report the Palm Beach Post. The newspaper reports that internal GOP polling predicts JanetReno will lose to McBride in the state's September 10 primary. State Republicans have spent more than $1 million on television ads against McBride. The Tampa attorney has trailed Reno throughout the primary campaign, but polls show he runs better than Reno in a head-to-head matchup with Bush.

Janet Reno

Also in Florida .... Just hours before the recent debate among the three Democrats running for governor, Reno unveiled her first TV ads. The ads feature Reno explaining her stands on several issues -- mainly prescription drugs -- and plenty of shots of the Reno red pickup truck.

The South Dakota Senate race remains a toss-up, according to a new poll. Democrat incumbent Tim Johnson and his challenger, Republican John Thune, each received 40 percent in a recent survey by KELO Television. And in a race where every vote looks crucial, libertarian Kurt Evans comes in with 5 percent.

In Minnesota, Tim Penny is making clever use of his name as the Independence Party candidate for governor. Penny's Web site features several likenesses of the 1-cent piece. The campaign also is handing out pins made from actual pennies. The Penny team says it cleared this idea with the U.S. Mint before making the campaign pins.